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Garcia and Fogle Receive Honorary State FFA Degrees

Dr. Lyda Garcia, assistant professor of Meat Science, and Gregg Fogle, manager – animal herd, received the Honorary State FFA Degree during the 90th Ohio FFA State Convention. The purpose of the degree program is to recognize individuals who have rendered outstanding service to the agricultural education-FFA program. Tracy Dendinger, Ohio FFA state supervisor for Districts 2, 5, 6, and 9, nominated both Dr. Garcia and Mr. Fogle.

Dr. Garcia has been an animal and meat science assistant professor at The Ohio State University since February 2015. Dr. Garcia is highly involved in presenting at workshops, clinics, and conferences on meat science, specifically targeting youth and livestock producers in the state of Ohio. In addition, Dr. Garcia serves as carcass judge for county carcass shows in the state. She has participated in the Ohio State Fair skillathon and has collaborated with Ohio Beef Council and Ohio Sheep Improvement Association demonstrating beef and lamb cuts and palatability in a culinary setting. At Ohio State, Dr. Garcia serves as faculty advisor for the Meat Science Club; she also supervises and coordinates the Ohio State Meat Judging Team. Ms. Dendinger provided some of the following reasons for Dr. Garcia’s nomination:

  • Incorporated the first meat science professional development for agricultural educators with interest in coaching meat evaluation teams;
  • Has improved and provided a quality and challenging State FFA Meat Evaluation Career Development Events (CDE) for students while also providing teachers educational transparency with full access to contest critique and walk through immediately following the state CDE; 
  • Initiated the first student learning opportunity in meat evaluation by hosting the Student Meat Judging Clinic for Jr. and Sr. FFA and 4H members to further enhance and develop their skill set in decision-making and meat evaluation; and
  • Actively speaks out limitlessly to groups in promotion of opportunity in the meat science industry with a true passion to educate, motivate, and cooperatively develop agricultural educators and youth in meat science and diversity.

Gregg Fogle has worked at Ohio State since 2000 and is currently the manager – animal herd at the Columbus Sheep Center. Mr. Fogle serves as an advisor for the Ohio State Saddle and Sirloin Club. Ms. Dendinger provided some of the following examples for his nomination:

  • Coordinates networking in the livestock industry to secure livestock for the Saddle and Sirloin and Ohio FFA State General Livestock CDE Preliminaries in order to provide quality animals that represent industry standards;
  • Is conscientious in providing a positive, spacious, and comfortable environment as an event host for livestock finals by securing student help to drive livestock, chairs and tables for team activity and reasons work, and the opportunity for transparency in livestock by allowing teachers to view animals at the event conclusion;
  • Secures livestock that challenge student decision strategies in selection by providing the opportunity to see a wide range of breeds within species that are quality representatives from prominent breeders in Ohio as well as within the nation; and
  • Creates the opportunity for student learning in sheep handling, facility and animal management for public exhibition by securing paid work positions for students in the Brown Sheep Barn during the Ohio State Fair.

Dr. Garcia and Mr. Fogle received the honorary FFA Degrees on May 3, 2018. The 90th Ohio FFA State Convention was held May 3-4 at the Ohio Expo Center. Gregg Fogle, Tracy Dendinger and Lyda Garcia